People have been using plastic bags for many years and as a result, it has become a part of our life. Therefore, it is very difficult for many people to suddenly stop using such plastic bags.
However, if people are carrying their own custom grocery bags wherever they go for shopping, then it is possible to reduce usage of such plastic bags.
Usually, these plastic bags may take anywhere between 10 to 1,000 years for degrading plastics by breaking into many smaller pieces to build up a natural environment suitable for wildlife, habitats, as well as human population.
Plastic bags are not only non-biodegradable but also can be a nuisance for the environment as well as our home. They are often found floating on the ocean, eaten by both domestic and wild animals, blocking drains and also penetrating the agricultural soil.
Though it seems that getting rid of these plastic bags is an unrealistic aim for common people but it is not impossible either.
Following are few steps that are necessary for reducing the use of plastic bags and finally stop using them.
- Create awareness
First and foremost, try to find out how often you make use of plastic bags. You must know what your realistic consumption of plastic bags is in your day to day life.
- Decline plastic bags
After noticing your consumption of plastic bags, start refusing to accept plastic bags from the vendors, when you go for shopping few items. Instead of carrying them in a plastic bag, prefer to carry them instead.
- Recycle
It is better to either recycle these plastic bags or just return them to various stores from where you received them before.
If you want to keep these plastics bags in circulation, then recycle them into any usable material.
- Reuse
If you have collected many plastic bags then try to reuse them. These plastic bags can always be used for various purposes in the house such as small bin liners.
- Start using reusable bags
Instead of using plastic bags, start using some of the other alternatives like for e.g. jute bag, cotton bags or any durable plastic bag. You can choose any of them, so that plastic bags do not remain in circulation.
- Always carry your own custom bag
Always try to bring your own bag other than plastic, which can be reused so that you can avoid using these bags. When you visit a grocery shop, always prefer to carry them with you.
- Stop making use of plastic bin liners
All plastic bin liners will go directly into landfill once it will leave your doorstep. Another easy way of avoiding this can be buying biodegradable bin liners. Also, you can choose to use newspaper as an alternate to bins.
- Educate people and also act
Try to tell people of your community about various disadvantages of using plastic bags and ask them to use a environment friendly item instead.
